Assigx



(Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l. J. W. THOMAS 8v J. D. OTSTOT FERTILIZERDISTRIBUTER.

Patented June 5, 1883..

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WITNESSES 95.

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(Model.) 3 Sheets- Sheet 2. J. W. THOMAS & J. D. OTSTOT.

FBRTILIZER DISTRIBUTER.

Patented June 5, 1883.

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(Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. W. THOMAS & J. D. OTSTQT. FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER.

/\Patented June 51883. III' K I y WI TNESSES INVENTORS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. f

JOSEPH \V. THOMAS AND J OHLT D. OTSTOT, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGN-ORS TO THOMAS, LUDLOV & RODGERS, OF SAME PLACE.

FERTILIZER-DISTRIBLITER.

SPECIFICATION -forming part of Letters Patent No. 279,044. dated June 5,1883.

Application filed February 2, 1883.

To a/ZZ whom; it may concern.' n

Be it known that we, Jos. W'. THOMAS and JOHN D. O'rsro'r, ofSpringfield, county of Clarke, and State oi' Ohio, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Fertilizer-Distributers, ofwhich the followingis a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

Our invention relates to that class of distributers employing ahorizontally-rotating disk or hopper-bottom having a central outlet ordischarge-opening and means for gradually conveying the materialoperated upon inward iu a steady stream to said central dischargeoutlet, and it consists in the combination, with a horizontally-rotatingdisk or annulus having a central discharge-opening and means forcrowding the material operated upon inward toward said opening, of apivoted and hori` zontally-swinging adjustable gage or gate forregulating the ow ot' the material inward to said opening; in locatingsaid gage underneath a stationary shell, dome, or plate covering saidcentral opening, in arranging the adjustable gage or gate for regulatingthe quantity of material passing under the stationary shell or plate tothe central outletK with its'swinging or gaging end facing the movin@material' in )rovidino' the rotating4 D 7 E D disk or annulus with aremovable facing plate or ring, and in certain details of constructionand arrangement of parts, as hereinaitcr explained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan or top view ofa single hopper with our improvements applied. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection taken in line with the transversev driving-shaft. Fig. 3 is aplan 'view with the stationary dome or shell removed. Figs. 4 and 5represent in perspective the rotating hopper and hopper-bottom detachedfor showing the bayonet-joint through which 'they are connected 5 andFig. Gis a perspective view,showing a modification in the form of thestationary dome or shell and of the adjustable gage or gate. Y

Our invention is intended, mainly, for use in connection with agrain-drill or seeding-niachine employing fertilizercompartments v cor-(Model.)

responding in number to the number ofseedtubes or distributers employed,either in the form of; separate hoppers or, preferably, in the form ot'a long transverse box or hopper provided with a series ofhorizontally-rotating hoppers, or divided into as many compartment-s a-sdesired, and `each-'provided witha rotating bottom, all geared to andoperated from a single transverse shaft. For the proper understanding ofour improvements, however, it willonly be necessary to describe one ofthe compartments or hoppers.

A represents the hopper box or frame, 'provided in its side or endstandards with suitable bearings for a transverse shaft, B,arrangedunderneath the hopper, a-nd from which motion is impartedthrough bevel gear or gears B to the rotating ,hopper bottom or bottoms,as will be explained. Underneath cach hopper or compartmentis secured abracket or support, C, the form of which is shown in the plan view, Fig.3, taken in connection with the sectional view, Fig. 2, said bracketbeing provided with arms or feet G, through which it is attached to thebottom of the front and rear hopper-frame bai-"s, said arms extendingfrom a central upright sleeve or ring, O2, which forms an annularbearing for the rotating disk or annulus forming the hopper-bottom Doutside of and surrounding the central dischargeopeningin said bottom.This annular sleevebearing is open on one side to admit-ajournal-sleeve, b, formed on the wheel B', mounted upon and rotatingwith the shaft B, and has a pendent loop, C, formed upon it, extendingunderneath said opening, in which loop the journal-sleeve b has itsbearing. vThe sleeve b terminates at one end in the hub of wheel B, andat the other end is provided with a collar, b, which, in connection withthe hub, serves vto prevent end-play of .the sleeve b in said bearingand to hold the gear B in'proper working relation to the toothedliievel-ri'm D 4on the disk or annulus D.

The bracket or bearing-plate O is provided with a central upright hub orstandard, c", connected by radial arms c5 with the bearingsleeve C, andforming a support for the central dome or shell, E, hereinafterdescribed, and said hub IOO joint connection between the rotatinghopper- .The lip E on the side e3 facing themoving maend ot' which islprovided with a short vertical sleeve, ci, in which the pivot ot' thehorizontally-swinging gage Fis mounted. Bythe construction described thebracket or support is provided with an annular bearing, c, for therotating hopper-bottom, a pendent loopbearing for the sleeve of thebevel-gear actuating said bottom, a central upright for the support ofthe dome or shell covering the central discharge-outlet in said rotatingbottom, and a support within said central opening for the vertical pivotof the gage or gate regulating the d-ischarge of the contents of thehop` per, as will be described.

The hopper-bottom Dis by preference made in the annular form shown inFig. 5, provided on its lower face, at its outer edge, with abeveltoothed .rim or ring, D, through which it is connected with anddriven from the bevelwheel B, and inside ot' said toothed rim with anannular rabbet, d, surrounding the central opening, D2, within which theannular beari ng-sleeve C of the bracket C rests. The disk or ring D isby preference recessed, or provided with an annular concavity on itsupper face, for the purpose of making it light and avoiding unnecessaryTwaste of metal, and isprovided with a light facing-plate or ring G, eX-tending from an upright annular iiange, d", on the outer edge of thering or disk D to an inner iiange surrounding the centralk opening, D2,and having notches with which spurs g on the ring G engage forpreventing relative movement of the ring and iacing-plate. The flange ilhas upright ears d" formed upon it, provided with inwardly-projectingpins d, which enter vertical slots c, terminating at their upper ends inhorizontal slots n in the lower end of the cylindrical hopper A, forminga bayonetbotiom and the rotating cylindrical hopper A when the latter isused. This construct-ion ot' the joint a-dapts the hopper to be readilyremoved i'or affording access to the facing-plate G for cleaning orremoving and replacing the latter and other purposes.

The shell or plate E, covering the central opening, D, in the hopperbottom, is by preference made dome-shaped, as shown, 'with an eccentricformation or lip, E', upon one side, which projects into close proximitywith the side wall of the hopper A, and serves to intercept the materialoperated upon. This shell or dome has a central perforation iitting theupper end of the stationary upright stud c, with slots c cradiating fromsaid central perforation, adapting pins cs on said stud ,to pass throughthe shell. The upper face of the shell around the central perforationhas inclines formed upon it, terminating in upright radial shoulders e',arranged about at right angles to the slots e and c', and against whichthe pins ci rest after the shell has been placed on the stud c* andturned into working position, in which it is held by said pins andshoulders.

terial in the hopper has an opening, 0*, formed outlet.

in its vertical wall, through which the material passes underthe lip,and the rear wall, e, of the lip E, converging inward toward thecent-ral opening, D2, serves to scrape said material inward to and todischarge it through said opening. The'opening c* in the forward side ofthe lip E is provided with a swinging gate, F, connected by a verticalpivot with the sleeve elwithin the central opening through the bracketC, said gate or gage being set facing the opening c* in the lip E, andthe moving material in the hopper and opposing the direction ofsuchmovement. tical facef of this gate is elongated sufficiently in the arcof a horizontal circleto adapt it to entirely close the opening c" inthe lip, when desired, while by swinging or adjusting said gate inwardsaid opening may be opened more or less for regulating the amount ofmaterial passing through the same to the central discharge- 'A lever,F', is connected with the lower end otthe vertical gate-pivot foradjusting said gate or gage, and where a series ot' the distributingdisks or rings are employed, 'arranged side byside, the levers ol theseveral adjusting gates or gages may all be conne'cted with a singlet1ansversely-moving bar, adapting all the gages to be simultaneously anduniformly adjusted.

In Fig. 6 a modification in the form oi' the shell or dome and itsprojecting lip and in the manner of pivoting the gate is shown. Theshell more nearly approximates a hollow hemisphere with an arching lip(indicated by El) formed upon one side and open both in front and inrear, so that the material on the moving bottom of the hopper can passdirectly underneath the lip without being crowded inward to the centraldischarge-outlet. In this construction the gage or gate (indicated vbyF2?) is pivoted to the shell, atj, in rear of the lip, relatively to thepath ofthe moving material, and the handle or lever F is, curveddownward, so as to pass throughthehopper-bottom and its support. .Thegate or gage in this 4construction resembles more nearly a shear-bladeexpanded in thickness or verti al height, with its point adapted to bethrown out more or less under the lip E for causing it to seize upon anddraw. into the central discharge! opening more or less of the movingmaterial which it faces, the blade itself serving to scrape saidmaterial' inward for causing its discharge.

Other modifications may be made in the form of the parts, but theconstruction and arrangement iirst described has been found to work wellin practice and is the preferred one.

The means for` conducting the fertilizer to the seed-tubes orto thegroupd after it Vpasses through the central discharge-opening, D, may besimilar to such as are now inV use, 'as

`may also the gearing for driving the distributer wheel operating shaftB, and such pailis need not therefore be described.

The eurvedver-A IOO IIO

per-bottom, having a central discharge-open ing, in combination with astationary gate or gage arranged above said bottom and made adjustableon a vertical pivot-for regulating the discharge of the materialOperated'upon, substantially as described.

2. The annular horizontally-rotating hopper-bottom, having the centra-ldischarge-Open` ing, in combination with a stationary plate or shellarranged above and covering said Opening, and provided with an openingin its side,

and a stationary verticallypivoted gate foru regulating the discharge ofthe material operated upon through said openings in the ring and shell,substantially as described.

3. The combination of the annular horizontally-rotating hopper-bottom,provided' with the central discharge -ope11ing, the notched stationaryplate or shell covering said Opening, and the stationaryvertically-pivoted gate or gage for regulating the discharge of thematerial operated upon, arranged underneath said shell with its gagingend opposing the direction Ol' movement of the disk or ring and of thematerial thereon, substantially as described. A

4. The annular horizontallyrotating hop p er-bottom, having the centraldischarge-open ing, and provided with an aimular bearing surroundingsaid opening', and the bevel-toothed rim surrounding said annularbearing, and through which said disk Onring is actuated, in combinationwith therotating hopper, detachably connected with saidv rotatingbottom, substantially as described.

5. The horizontally-rotating annular hop-- per bottom, having a centraldischarge-Opening, in combination with the removable annularfacing'plate, substantiall5T as described. 6. Ilhe horizontally-1otatingdisk o1' ring, having a central discharge-opening, in combination with asupporting-bracket provided with an annular bearing for said disk Orring, a central bearing for the vertical pivot of the adjustable gate orgage, and a bearing for the horizontal shaft of the bevel-wheelactuating said disk or ring, substantially as described.

7. The bracket supporting the rotating liopper-bottom, provided with anannular bearing for said bottoni, a fixed central upright for'supporting the stationary shell above said bottom, a sleeve-bearing forthe vertical pivot of the adjustable feed gate or gage, and a bearingfor the horizontal shaft of the bevel-wheel actuating said rota-tingbottom, all substantially as described` The rotating hopper-bottom,provided with the upright peripheral ilangeor rim, in combination withthe inwardly projecting 4spurs formed on said iiangc, and the remova bleannular hopper, applied and operating substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set ourhauds this 31st dayofJanuary, A. D. 1883.

JOSEPH W. THOMAS. JOHN D. Orsror.V

